Theatre Charles Dullin

You have arrived at the Charles Dullin Theater, named after the actor and director born in the village of Yenne, in Savoy. It is considered to have one of the most beautiful Italian-style auditora of the region. One of its masterpieces is undoubtedly the magnificent stage curtain painted by Luigi Vacca, depicting Orpheus’s descent into the Underworld. This stage curtain is classified as Furniture of French Heritage. The construction of the theater is attributed to General de Boigne. Visiting the city you’ll hear about him a lot as the people of Chambéry owe him a great deal. This adventurous young Savoyard became a general and the leader of the army of the Rajah Sindhia in Delhi. He experienced a period of opulence, where he was covered in gold and diamonds. Back in France he was considered amongst the wealthiest individuals of the time and became a wonderful patron. Hospices, hospitals, high schools, street development, facade embellishments—the list is long. Our generous man bought back the town’s first wooden theatre, built by Victor-Amédée III, King of Sardinia, and not of the highest quality. He invested considerable amounts to have the entire theatre rebuilt with white limestone in a neo-classical style, complete with pediment, balustrade and portico. The new performance hall could accommodate 1,800 people, about 10% of the city’s population. That’s enormous! It would be like building a 6,000-seat venue here today! The theater was inaugurated in 1824 in the presence of the royal couple Charles Félix of Savoy and Queen Marie Christine, who brought the famous stage curtain painted by the king’s artist as a housewarming gift! There was no better way to welcome all the fine people who were soon to come here for entertainment! Notable visitors included King Louis-Philippe and Napoleon III with Empress Eugénie. The theater you see today is a faithful reconstruction of the original, which unfortunately perished in flames in 1864. Fortunately, no lives were lost as the fire broke out at 3 am, and the famous curtain was saved! Fun fact about the curtains, England wanted to buy them in 1922, but the population protested against the sale! These are among the four last surviving 18th-century stage curtains! The inauguration of the new theater took place in 1867, and the site was classified historical monument in 1986.